Truss type aircraft wheel



March 6, 1951 H. H. KERR TRUss TYPE AIRCRAFT WHEEL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1946 NHHL March s, 1951 H. H. ERR 2,544,387

TRUSS TYPE AIRCRAFT WHEEL Filed June 3, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIC-[ 3mm HENRY H FIER'FQ 33W /FWM @m man.

March 6, 1951 H. H. KERR 2,544,387

TRUSS TYPE AIRCRAFT WHEEL Filed June 3, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 HENRY H FLERF? March 6, 1951 H. HyKERR 2,544,387

TRUSS TYPE AIRCRAFT WHEEL Filed June 3, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIEL E- 3mm March 6, 1951 H. H. KERR 'muss TYPE AIRCRAFT WHEEL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 3, 1946 HENRY H ILEFER am @Mud QM Wma/136- Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRUSS TYPE AIRCRAFT WHEL Henry H. Kerr, Jackson, Mich., assgnor, by mesne assignments, to The B. F. Goodrich Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of New York Application June 3, 1946, Serial No. 674,095

Claims. (Cl. 301-65) The present invention relates to improvements in wheel construction, being particularly concerned with giving greater support to the tire supporting rims of wheels which overhang the brake drum. Although the improved wheel design has a wide field of usefulness, it has been designed especially for aircraft.

According to the proposed design, the wheel is of a split cast construction with the radial load upon the tire rim of the wheel being transferred to the axle through a bridge-type truss. Burst forces from the tire are carried by tie bolts which hold the Wheel parts assembled. l

Thus, one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved wheel of the type described having a truss construction for transferring the radial load to the axle.

Another object is to provide an improved trusstype wheel of a cast split type.

Another object is to provide a split wheel having an improved arrangement of tie bolts for carrying the burst forces of the tire.

These and other objects and advantages will be more fully treated hereinafter in connection with the detailed descriptions of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts.

In the drawings,

Fig. I is a vertical cross-sectional view taken from the center line I-I of Fig.- II,

Fig. II is a fragmentary end view of the wheel structure,

Fig. III is an enlarged view of the tie bolt assemby,

Fig. IV is an end view of the tie bolt shown in Fig. III,

Fig. V is a view similar to Fig. I of a modified form of the invention, using a different form of tie boit,

Fig.'VI is a view similar to Fig. `I of a still further modiiication of the invention,

Fig. VII is a fragmentary end view of the wheel structure shown in Fig. VI illustrating the radial reinforcing ribs,

Fig. VIII is a fragmentary sectional view of the wheel shown in Fig. VI illustrating the valve stem arrangement,

Fig. 1X is a view similar to Fig. I of a still further modification of the invention,

Fig. X is a view similar to Fig. I of another modification of the invention,

Fig. XI is a fragmentary end view of the wheel structure shown in Fig. X, and

Fig. XII is a fragmentary radial section illustrating the valve stem arrangement.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. I to IV, inclusive, the wheel I8 comprises two cast portions I2 and I4 meeting along the line I6, one of the parts being provided with an annular flange I8 piloted upon an annular shouder 20. Hub parts 22 and 24 having slightly conical web portions 26 and 28 carry brake drums 30 and 32 which are attached by bolts 34 adjacent the point of merger between the conical web portions 26 and 28 and the conical portionsl 36 and 38 which support the tire rim portions 40 and 42 overhanging the brake drums 38 and 32.

As more clearly shown in Fig. II, the webs 26 and 28 have openings 40 separated by radial ribs 42. Between each rib 42 of the parts I2 and I4 are bosses 44 and 46, respectively. These bosses are preferably recessed at 48 and 50 to receive relatively short tie bolts 52. Referring to Fig. III, the hexazon head 54 of the bolt 52 is held against rotation by a stamping 56 in the form of a hexagon socket. A bolt 56 holds the stamping 56 in position and against rotation. A socket head nut 60 is threaded upon the bolt 52 and drawn up by a suitable socket wrench operating in the hexaeon recess 62 to hold the parts I2 and I4 assembled as shown in Fig. I.

The truss construction of the wheel above described compriss the rims 40 and 42, the conical portions 36 and 38 and the boss portions 44 and 46. It is this truss combination that transfers the radial load to the axle through the conical webs 26 and 28. The tie bolts 52 take the burst forces from the pneumatic tire mounted on the rim. By locating the bolts 52 in the recesses 48 and 50 of the bosses 44 and 46, a relatively short bo`t may be employed.

In the modication shown in Fig. V, the wheel structure 68 comprises two similar cast portions 'In and 12 piloted upon complementary ilange portions 14 and 16. Circumferentially of the wheel 68 are bosses 'I8 through which the tie bolts extend to hold the parts 'I0 and 'I2 assembled and take the burst load of the tire. The tire supporting rim portions 82are supported by conical portions 84 which extend entirely around the wheel structure being interrupted only by the bosses 18. Merging with the conical members 84 are conical spoke sections 88 which transfer the radial load to the hub portions 88 oi the wheel. Cylindrical compression portions 80 give support to the conical portions 84 while the tension loads are carried by the tie bolt 80. Thus, in the bridgetype truss just described, the burst forces from the tire are carried through the tie bolts 80 while the radial load forces are carried by the conical portion 84 and the compression members 90. The unbalanced load upon the wheel due to side loads are carried by the radial webs 82 which are located simi'arly to the webs 42 of the modification shown in Fig. II. In the construction illustrated, the webs 92 have been carried into the truss section by being an integral part of the compression members 90.

In the modiiied form oi the invention shown in Figs. VI to VIII, inclusive, the wheel 96 comprises similar cast portions 98 and |00, piloted upon complementary flange portions |02 and |04. The rim portions |06 are supported by conical portions |08 which merge with slightly conical portions |I to transfer the radial loads to the hub portions |I2 and I I4. The side loads upon the wheel are taken through radial web portions ||6 provided with boss portions ||8 through which the tie bolts extend to hold the wheel sections 88 and |00 assembled to take in tension the burst forces from the pneumatic tire.

As more clearly shown in Fig. VII, the tire retaining anges |20 are supported by radial webs |22. In Fig. VIII the manner in which the wheel section I 00 is cast to accommodate the valve stem |24 is illustrated.

In the modiiications shown in Fig. IX, the principles of construction shown in Fig. V have been adapted to enable the employment of a relatively short tie bolt. As illustrated, the wheel |28 comprises simiiar cast sections |30 and |32 piloted upon complementary flange portions |34 and |36 and held together by tie bolts |38 and |40. The rim portions |42 have tire retaining portions |44, with the radial load supported by the conical portion |46 and the cylindrical compression portion |48. The conical portions |50 transfer the radial load to the hub portions |52.

'Ihe conical portions |50 are interrupted throughout the circumference by openings |54 defined in part by conical wall portions |56 merging with the radial wall portions I 58 through which the tie bolts |40 extend. The side loads upon the wheel are taken by the radial web portions |60.

The conical portions |60 are interrupted to provide recesses |62 to permit the use of relatively short tie bolts |38 extending through the boss portions |64. The head |66 of each tie bolt |38 is shown held against rotation in a similarly shaped stamped socket |68 held against rotation by a bolt |10.

In the remaining modied form of the invention illustrated in Figs. X to IUI, inclusive. the wheel |16 comprises similar cast parts |18 and |80 piloted upon flange portions |82 and |84. The rim portions I86'have tire retaining ilanges |88, the rim and flanges being made up of a series of cast pockets |90 separated by full wall portions |92 and lesser wall portions |94 the latter merging with the thickened wall structure |96 deilning the externally opening recesses |88 in which the relatively short tie bolts 200 are assembled to hold the wheel parts |18 and Ill to- 4 gether to take the burst load of the tire under tension.

The slightly conical wall structure 202 merges with the conical spoke structure 204 which transters the radial load to the hub portions 206 of the wheel structure. Side load and unbalanced forces are taken through the radial web portions 208.

'I'he tie bolt 200 is threaded at one end to receive a nut 2I0. The head 2| 2 is received in a cup-shaped stamping 2|4 shaped to receive the head 2 2 and prevent relative rotation of the head 2|2 and the cup-shaped portion 2|4. Aligned openings are provided in the cup 2 |4 as well as in the wheel part to receive a removable pin 2|8 which holds the cup member 2 I4 against rotation. To prevent inadvertent removal of the pin 2|6, a double biased spring metal detent 2|8 is provided with openings through which the pin 2I8 passes with slight clearance. A slot 220 to receive a screwdriver is provided for opening up the detent 2I8 to relieve the biasing action and bite upon the pin 2| 8 so the latter can be removed as desired. In Fig. )UI the construction oi the wheel parts |80 to accommodate the valve stem 222 is illustrated.

From the several different forms of the invention illustrated, it should be readily apparent that the principles of construction involved may take many forms and for that reason it is not my intention to limit my invention to the precise forms illustrated but to include within its scope all structures embodying the said principles of construction and embraced within the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

l. A radially split two-piece wheel structure for pneumatic tires comprising a pair of parts piloted upon each other adjacent the radial plane along which the wheel is split, hub portions, rim portions including tire retaining flanges overhanging said hub portions, said hub and rim portions being integral with their respective said parts and having interfitting annular flanges and recesses piloting the wheel parts upon each other, integral conical like wall structure extending from said flanges inwardly and toward said plane, conical wall structure extending from said hub portions outwardly and merging with said iirst conical wall structure, said iirst and second wall structures transferring the radial load from said rim portions to said hub portions, abutting wall structure transversely disposed to said plane and located adjacent the point of merger of said ilrst and second wall structures for taking compression loads, tension members transversely disposed to said plane and located directly adjacent said rim portions and radially outward from said point of merger to take the burst load of the pneumatic tire and to hold said parts assembled. and radially disposed transversely extending wall structure extending between said plane and said second conical wall structure and between said abutting wall structure members and said hub portions to take the side and unbalanced load structure of the wheel.

2. A wheel structure as defined in claim l wherein circumferentially spaced inwardly extending pockets are provided in said conical structure to receive said transverse tension members. e

3. A wheel structure as dened in claim 1 u wherein said transverse tension members are housed Within one of said transversely extending wall structures.

4. A wheel structure as dened in claim 1 wherein said 'lrst and second transversely extending wall structures are located in the same axial plane.

5. A wheel structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said rst and second transverse extending wall structures are located in the same axial plane and said tension members are housed in 10 one of said wall structures.

HENRY ERR.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

